長崎県立大学東アジア研究所『東アジア評論』第10号（2018．3）
〈研究論文〉
The Changes of Forestry Trade Development in Western Fujian and the Influences on Ecological Environment＊
Lianfang WANG† Jing LIU‡
Abstract: The special mountain terrain in Western Fujian created a rich forest resources, and derived the forestry trade as the main way for the survival and development. With the society changes, forestry trade in western Fujian occurred changes from prosperity to decline, from blindness to orderliness, and forest ecosystem also experienced a interconversion between the balance and imbalance. The forestry trade development brought great changes to the ecological environment in Western Fujian. At the same time, from the ecological environment changes caused by development of forestry trade in Western Fujian, we can also learn the experiences from the interaction between ecology and society. Key Words: Western Fujian; Longyan; Forestry Trade; Ecological Environment
Western Fujian is known as Longyan area which is listed as national key protection, accounted for 49% of located in the southwest of Fujian Province and is 150 rare plant varieties in Fujian, so Western Fujian is called kilometers apart from the sea channel. As the region is the green ”treasure bowl”1. For the region is located in located in the Tropic of Cancer, the climate is mild and it the mountains, more mountain and less field is the basic is like spring all the year around. The mountain soil is ecological condition restriction. Because of the red soil and yellow soil for the most part and it is suitable restriction, farmers in Western Fujian began to focus on for plant growth particularly, so there is very rich of and used the rich forest resources very early. The forest resources in this region. For a long time, Western forestry trade development in Western Fujian has Fujian has always been one of the three major forest experienced the changes from prosperity to decline, and areas in Fujian Province, of which five counties (districts) of the forestry development changes has led to the are listed as national forestry emphasis counties. In the ecological environment changes in this region. This rich forest resources, there are 38 kinds of rare plants paper analyzes the characteristics of forestry
* Fund Project: the soft science project of Science and Technology Department of Fujian Province in 2017 year: < Study on the Effective Utilization and Advantages Keeping of Ecological Resources in Western Fujian Under the Green Development Concept >(2017 R 0078); Project of Central Soviet Area Research Institute of LongYan University in 2015 year:
－95－ 長崎県立大学東アジア研究所『東アジア評論』第10号（2018．3） development from the changes of forestry trade in Longyan county, 16 villages in Zhangping county, 16 Western Fujian and discusses the influences on the local villages in Ninghua county, 29 villages in Qingliu county, ecological environment. 47 villages in Mingxi county, which is widely distributed. The wood that these places produced was more than 1.5 million annually3. However, since the 1930s, due to the 1. Development and Changes of Forestry political turmoil in Western Fujian, ”the old verdant TradeinWesternFujian forest area become the place that the bandits gethered”, The forestry trade mainly concentrated on the and coupled with the loss of timber overseas market, as exploit of forest resources and the related handicraft the same time the domestic market was excluded by the industry, such as Chinese fir, saw board, local paper and imported building materials such as foreign wood and other related industries. As early as the Ming and Qing plum and so on, then the market of the wood in Western Dynasties, by the unique forest resources, forestry trade Fujian became tighter. Forestry trade entered the has appeared a scene of prosperity in Western Fujian. In decline period with an annual output of nearly a million the early 20th century, the forestry trade developed trees yet. rapidly in Western Fujian under the stimulus of market Modern times, Chinese economy has also been a demand. The description of the forestry trade, certain development even be given the aggression and Changting county “connected many areas by the Ting oppression by the capitalist countries. The timber river, and the merchants were in an endless stream”, in market demand growthed rapidly due to the domestic the Tingzhou municipal “the merchants from Anhui and international economic stimulus. According to bought the mountain and southands of wood were cut
－96－ The Changes of Forestry Trade Development in Western Fujian and the Influences on Ecological Environment merchants of Fujian ”set up woodern factory and now, after more than ten years of improvement and woodern industry for oprating and trading along the protection, the forest ecosystem in Western Fujian has Huangpu River bank, from the east to the south of the been restored gradually. The ecosysem is not good as city. Among them the big merchants owned thirty of before, but the improvement and protection already them. We can see the prosperity development of the made a great contribution to the ecological environment timber industry at that time. Most income of people in in Western Fujian. Western Fujian was from the forestry trade, forestry developed rapidly and the timber output rose sharply by 2. Characteristics of Forestry Trade the influence of this trade environment. The forestry Development in Western Fujian trade continued to develop and progress. In the mountainous areas of Western Fujian, the tree species With the advantaged forest resources, the forestry that constitute forest resources such as pine, camphor, trade development promotes the economy development phoebe, padauk, lacquer, vernicia fordi, Eucalyptus, rapidly in Western Fujian. Meanwhile, the development vertebrae, beech, boxwood and so on, without manual of forestry trade also has its own characteristics. intervention, cutting and growing freely, but the Chinese First, the forestry has been exploited without fir was more easy to plant which is cultivated artificially. thinking. The economy in Western Fujian developed In the early years of the Republic China, the decline rapidly in modern China, but at the same time, because of the timber industry in Tingjiang River Basin was not of the lacking of ecological consciousness, the serious, and it did not affect the sustainable development exploitation and utilization of forest resources was of the timber industry in Fujian. However, after the obviously predatory exploiting. The average population Republic of China the timber industry was declining. density in Western Fujian is far lower than that of Fujian After the founding of new China, the new changes have Province. With much land and few people, but more taken place in forestry resources of Western Fujian. The mountain and less arable and the poor quality of arable establishment of the new China means that China land in Western Fujian, so per capita arable land is very entered the period which is development first from less. The local literature often portrayed the land of turbulent period, in the view of people in Western Fujian Western Fujian as ”narrow soil and less land”, or ”barren then the development should be started from the soil”. As a result, the population pressure in Western advantaged resources. The forestry resources as Fujian is still rather serious for the land. It was the advantaged resouce in the local areas became the enormous pressure of the land that the local people optimistic development capital. In the era of lacking of turned their attention to the mountain forest and began ecological awareness, the emergence of deforestation to make predatory expoiting. The vast wood land not are naturally. Therefore, in recent decades, Western only provides a lot of wood for people, but also provides a Fujian has achieved some economic development wide variety of forest products, such as tea-oil tree, results, but at the same time, such as the utilizing way fordii, turpentine, dried bamboo shoots medicine and so the climate change the pest incidence and so on caused on. In addition, the banmboo forest prospering all over the seriouse bad consequences of forest resouces. Until the mountain provides enough paper materials for the
－97－ 長崎県立大学東アジア研究所『東アジア評論』第10号（2018．3） farmers of Western Fujian. In the situation that the along the stream nearby. Since the timber merchants cultivated land can not meet the needs of the peasants in entered into Western Fujian, they developed forest Western Fujian, then the forest resources have become resources seriously. Whether the adult trees or young an important economic source of the peasants, and saplings were cut down, and many of the original trees various reckless development methods have also were cut down and form the mountain into ”bare hills”. appeared. The decrease of forest resources naturally restricts the Meanwhile, because of the invasion of foreign further sustainable development of forestry. capitalism in modern China, the invaders not only Modern China was in a semi feudal and semi plundered the original material and wealth, but also colonial state, and the forestry trade was also in the plundered the economic development. Any progress in stage of petty dealer stage. At that time, the various capitalist society can not be separated from the nature of heavy feudal exploitation and exorbitant tax from plunder. After the invasion, the development of forestry government has caused tremendous pressure to the trade in West Fujian has experienced the economic local people. As small producers the local people had to plunder of foreign capitalism. Camphor wood is one of only pursue immediate interests and they could not take the main forest species in West Fujian. At the end of long-term ecological benefits into account. therefore the Qing Dynasty, the commercial activities of British and commodity production is carried out under anarchy. The Japanese merchants became more and more frequent in development of forestry trade is on the basis of China, and the purchase of camphor increased spontaneous completion of local people in the pursuit of considerably. In the disparity period of economic personal interests and spontaneous, which leads to the development, ”the villagers cut camphor countless” in material exchange between human and nature is only order to get more benefits. ”since thirty-two years of acquisition of human beings without return to nature. Guangxu period to the first year of Xuantong in Qing For example, there was a team called ”shed people” who dynasity, the camphor which could be made for camphor were the hobos for obtainting the interest of forest trade balls were all cut”6, resulting in the camphor forest and running from neighborhood regions or local people. destroyed situation. Except camphor, such as Phoebe They build a hangar in the mountains and living” there. Nees, Tungoiltree, Tallow trees and so on in the upper Because the ”shed men” were in the miserable situation reaches of mountain also have gradually disappeared. and poor living settled place. In fact, the emergence of Second, the blind development of forestry trade, and this new force was more destructive than the local the spontaneous disorder of material exchange. By the people. stimulates of forestry trade development, the forest Third, the development of forestry trade was owners and the timber merchants cut the forest accompanied by the emergence of social problems. competitively. The late Qing dynasity, Customs and Forestry trade and multifarious taxes of government taxation department of Fujian has the report that trees and local forces coexist. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, are less and less and will be more less quickly because of in addition to pay the taxes for outside along the wood the less supplement for the felled trees, and there are transportation, the wood merchants had to bear the raft not the wood which size accord with market demand tax, guns tax, paving stone road tax and other various
－98－ The Changes of Forestry Trade Development in Western Fujian and the Influences on Ecological Environment burden. In the Republic of China, the warlord made 3. The Impact on the Ecological Environment moreand more warfare to fight for power and causing from Forestry Development in Western Fujian various tax levies named for the protection but extortion, which brought greater pressure for the wood The variety of products, production area and merchants. The establishment of the Kuomintang quantity of products in West Fujian have been greatly government in Nanjing worsened living situation of developed since 1920s, and the commodity economy in wood merchants. Before 1934, except paying duties, mountain areas has shown an view of active special tax, the wood merchants must be assessed to pay development. However, the development of commodity more than 60 kinds of local taxes. All taxes and levies economy in this period was at the cost of the destruction aggravated the presseure of wood merchants and of the ecological balance and the deterioration of the hindered the forestry trade development. ecological environment in the mountains. Among them, Moreover, the development of forestry trade is the development of two major industries tea and wood accompanied by serious traffic problems. The has the greatest impact on the ecological environment in characteristics of mountainous area has created two mountain areas. The forestry trade development in major circulation routes for goods. One ot them was road Western Fujian has experienced a period from from Zhangzhou to Longyan, but before New China flourishing to declining, and the forest resources have bandits appeared in this road without poor public been overexploitation and ecological rehabilitation. The security, and the merchants lose wealth and goods ecological environment problems caused by the forestry frequently. The other one is waterway from Shantou trade development are also obvious in Western Fujian. through Chaozhou, gathered at Fengshi then through First, the rapid development of forestry trade Kanshi to Longyan. This route spent half month to go makes forest ecosystems evidently deteriorated, and the through shipping and shouldering. With the ecological service function and ecological products development of forestry trade, the backwardness of output of forest resources in Western Fujian decreased transportation in Western Fujian has gradually became significantly. The ecological products supply is provided visible. Wood transported mostly by water to weave a by the normal forest ecosystem. Once the area of forest raft drifting down the river. But in autumn and winter is too small, the ecological products will become scarce, the river becomes shallow and the raft can not be even turning to zero. The decrease of forest number will carried, thus affecting the timber trade development, lead to ecological crisis, and decreasesd in windbreak causing serious damage of wood merchants. Traffic and soil fixation, dust absorption and the species problems have become more and more obviously in the diversity decreasement and so on. The disorderly and process of forestry trade, which limited the expansion of uncontrolled exploitation of forest resources led to less forestry trade and the timber market. and less forest conservation, which can not fix the sand, a large mount of sediment in the rainy season was flushed into river teaches. The waterway was silted up, formating the downstream jams. In 1958, the soil erosion area is 170.38 km2
－99－ 長崎県立大学東アジア研究所『東アジア評論』第10号（2018．3） accounting for 0.89% of the total land area in Western China. In 1940s, Changting county set up a water and soil Fujian; In 1987, the soil erosion area expanded to 1795.77 conservation organization, which is one of the three key km2 (1379 km2 of mountain), 9.54 times more thanthat in experimental areas for soil and water conservation in 1958 year; The annual sediment loss in the whole area China together with Tianshui city of Gansu Province, amounts to 12 million tons equivalent to an annual loss of Changan city of Shanxi province. According to the 80 thousand acres of arable land, and the nutrient loss is remote sensing survey in 1985, the soil erosion area in even more amazing. Calculated according to the amount Western Fujian 3.747 million mu, accounting for 13.13% of nitrogen in plough layer 0.115%, annual loss of pure of territory area, of which less erosion was 2.513 million nitrogen was 13.8 thousand tons and the equivalent of mu accounting for 67.07%; Moderate erosion was 673 83.6 thousand tons of oxygen bicarbonate. It equaled thousand mu, accounting for 17.96%; the strength 66.2% of the nitrogen fertilizer inputs in 1987. According erosion was 425 thousand mu, accounting for 11.34%; the to forestry census data in 1983; the ratio of coniferous pole strength erosion was 136 thousand mu, accounting forest to broadleaf forest is 10: 1. The young plantations for 2.63%. soil erosion area of Changting county was of total forest accounted for 71.5%, and the mid-aged 1.462 million mu, accounting for the territory area was plantations accounted for 5.9%, the mature forest is only up to 31.5%8. 22.6%; because the existing broad-leaved forest area of According to statistics in 2011, from 2000 to 2011 forest was so small and mature forest was low year the total soil erosion control area in Western Fujian proportion that the forest soil and water conservation was 2.965 million mu, of which 1.63 million mu was capacity decreased7. completely controled. The area of soil and water loss in Second, the forestry development has led to a great Changting county dropped to 476.9 thousand mu, and increase of original forest felling, but due to the lack of reduced nearly 1 million mu from 1.462 million mu in ecological awareness, local residents was cutting more 1985, of which the strength erosion area reduced 135.7 and planting less, which resulted in a large area of forest thousand mu than that in 1999. In the first half of 2012, destruction. A large number of mountain surface the whole region controled soil erosion areas 460.99 exposed outside. On the one hand, this formed a thousand mu by forest and grass measures, accounting longitudinal section of the landslide, on the other hand for 102.4% of the planning tasks 450 thousand mu9.The which formed irreversible destruction of the ecosystem agricultural production conditions in the controlled areas due to the mountain soil texture, which is unable to grow have been remarkably improved, and the characteristic new trees. Because of the geographical distribution of industries have been developing rapidly, which is more mountains and hills in Western Fujian, coupled beneficial to promote the local agricultural production, with unreasonable deforestation and the mode of the income increase of farmers and the development of economic development, soil erosion is much more rural economy. serious, and it is one of the most serious soil erosion Third, the changes in biodiversity of forest areas in Fujian province. Changting county was the most ecosystems. Uncontrolled deforestation in the mountain serious particularly, which was one of the most serious forest caused rapid reductions in the adult forest, and soil erosion counties in the red soil region of southern even the arbor seedlings began to decrease gradually.
－100－ The Changes of Forestry Trade Development in Western Fujian and the Influences on Ecological Environment
On the one hand, new arbor seedlings can not follow the Western Fujian; The second, a strong contrast between planting, on the other hand, soil erosion leads to the the circulation of commodities demand and lagging of difficulty of seedling regeneration, and results the transportation conditions, which hinders the extinction of some arbor species. At the same time, some modernization of society and economy in Western shrub species in forest ecosystems can not be used and Fujian, and also suggests the way out of social and over life growth breeding poisonous and harmful plant economic development; The third, villages and towns species. In the original forest soil, a large number concentrates in the mountain basin and river valley nutrients are consumed by infinite growth shrubs, which are divided. The situation not only provides poisonous and harmful species. In addition the arbor natural conditions for the relatively closed traditional species that have been cut down, some plant species customs of the society in Western Fujian, but also which fail in competition gradually disappear. provides the soil for the family power growth. Accompanied by the decreasement of biodiversity, the Second, the impact of ecological environment on the forest ecosystem arrived subtle changes, which is easy peasants and the economy in West Fujian. The to lose balance. increasingly small-scale peasant economy is the root of the social unrest in West Fujian in the first half of 20th Century, and the social control system established with 4. The Experience and Inspiration of Social it has a strong traditional succession. the local clan and Developmen from The Change of Ecological gentry forces took an important role in society, and Environment neighbourhood administrative system and vigilante In human social production activities, economic group are the derivatives. The deterioration of social systems and ecosystems are organically integrated into control system was accompanied with the decline of an ecological economic system by the links of material small economies. So we could see such a vicious cycle: cycles, energy flows, information transmission and value- the deterioration of the human environment -- the added and so on. The contradiction between the impoverishment of small-scale peasant economy -- social unlimited demand of ecological system by human social unresting - further deterioration of the human production and the limited capacity of the productivity environment -- further impoverishment of small-scale and resource renewal by ecological system to meet this peasant economy. This is the basic feature of rural social demand. The basic contradiction is more and more and economic development in Western Fujian in the first obvious with the conquering nature step and expanding half of 20th Century10. It also reflects the close human economic activities. relationship between ecological environment and social First, the ecological environment is closely related economy. to economic development and social change. The first, In the first half of 20th Century, the decline of social there is more mountain and less people caused not only economy in Western Fujian was the result of the double much land to farm, but also per amount of capita arable restriction of local ecological environment and human land is small, which constitute the two basic elements environment. Compared with the latter, the former is a which limited the social and economic development of more long-term restriction. The further evolution
－101－ 長崎県立大学東アジア研究所『東アジア評論』第10号（2018．3） history of society in West Fujian in the latter half of 20th system. It has many functions, such as climate Century could provide us with another powerful adjustment, water conservation, water and soil evidence. Since 1950s, the economic society development conservation, wind resistance, sand fixation, pollution in Western Fujian has reached a certain development prevention, environment beautification and so on. space due to the change of the human environment. Ancient people have many simple understanding about However, the rural economic structure which is mainly the important role of forest in agricultural economic restricted by the ecological environment in history, ecosystem. This precious cultural heritage is worthy of there is still limited room for development. In fact, by the excavating, summarizing, carrying forward seriously. middle of 1990s, the agricultural population in Western There are excellent forest production conditions in Fujian still accounted for 81.56% of the total population, mountain area of Western Fujian, and the forestry and the local economy was still in a backward state. development potential is great, but in modern times Western Fujian is one of the 18 contiguous poor areas in because of the blind pursuiting of timber economic value, China, with a large area of poverty. There are deforestation, adoptsthe disorderly, it could not play the Shanghang, Wuping, Changting, Liancheng and other 4 favorable conditions of the original envieroment, but also counties, 47 townships in this region. Therefore, the get the opposite result of the ecological environment impact of the ecological environment on society is deterioration will be appeared, which caused all kinds of enormous, and it can affect the development of local hazards. Therefore, the central work of developing economy and social progress for a long time and a large forestry should be transferred from log production to scale. forest management and protection. Planting tree and Third, in Western Fujian, the basic contradiction of conserving forest are not only the central link of the the ecology economic system is also becoming more and economic development in mountain areas, but are also more obvious and aggravating with the development of the key link to protect the ecological environment and social production. The ecological economic system restore the ecological balance11. formed by human economic activities exists above basic contradictions, so the human economic activities also Annotation: restricted by it. Therefore, human economic activities 1 Cultural and Historical data Research Committee of Longyan Municipal Committee must face up to this basic contradiction. Our social Fujian province of the Chinese People’s Political th production development is not only to pursue the Consultative Conference(1998): the 75 restricted publication of Longyan, p 23. economic efficiency, but also emphasizes the ecological 2 Cultural and Historical data Research benefits, which keep the dynamic balance of ecological Committee of Longyan Municipal Committee Fujian province of the Chinese People’s Political economic system in the development of social Consultative Conference(2006): Cultural and production, so as to ensure the harmonious operation of Historical Data of Western Fujian, p 84. 3 Dai Yifeng ( 2004 ) : Regional Economic ecological economic system. This is also the basic Development and Social Change--- Taking the principle should be followed in the exploitation and Modern Fujian Region As the Center, Yuelu Publishing House, p 280. development of mountain. 4 Dai Yifeng ( 2004 ) : Regional Economic Development and Social Change--- Taking the Fourth, forest is the pillar of natural ecological
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Modern Fujian Region As the Center, Yuelu 1928-1931). Publishing House, p 169. 5 Dai Yifeng ( 2004 ) : Regional Economic Qiu Binghao(1990): Economic Research on Western Development and Social Change--- Taking the Fujian, China Planning Press. Modern Fujian Region As the Center, Yuelu Publishing House, p 252. Standing Committee of Longyan Municipal People’s 6 Dai Yifeng ( 2004 ) : Regional Economic Congress(2012): Compilation of Special Reports on Development and Social Change--- Taking the Modern Fujian Region As the Center, Yuelu Ecological Longyan Construction in 2012. Publishing House, p 170. Longyan Municipal Committee on Cultural and 7 Qiu Binghao(1990): Economic Research on Western Fujian, China Planning Press, p 85. Historical Data Collection Committee in Fujian 8 Standing Committee of Longyan Municipal Province of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative People’s Congress(2012): Compilation of Special Reports on Ecological Longyan Construction in Conference(1982): Cultural and Historical Data of 2012, p 16. Western Fujian(the 5th). 9 Fu Qisheng, Zeng Xianhua(2006): Literature of Revolutionary History in Western Fujian, Longyan Municipal Committee on Cultural and Memorial Hall of Gutian Conference, p 63. Historical Data Collection Committee in Fujian 10 Dai Yifeng ( 2004 ) : Regional Economic Development and Social Change--- Taking the Province of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Modern Fujian Region As the Center, Yuelu Publishing House, p 175. Conference(1987): Cultural and Historical Data of 11 Dai Yifeng ( 2004 ) : Regional Economic Western Fujian(the 15th). Development and Social Change--- Taking the Modern Fujian Region As the Center, Yuelu Fu Qisheng, Zeng Xianhua(2006): Literature of Publishing House, p 288. Revolutionary History in Western Fujian, Memorial Hall of Gutian Conference. References: Statistics Department of Longyan(2009): Glorious course Cultural and Historical data Research Committee of of 60 years--- Development of Longyan since the Longyan Municipal Committee Fujian province of the founding of new China, Statistics Department of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Longyan. (1998): the 75th restricted publication of Longyan. Cultural and Historical data Research Committee of Longyan Municipal Committee Fujian province of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (2006): Cultural and Historical Data of Western Fujian (the 8th). Dai Yifeng(2004): Regional Economic Development and Social Change--- Taking the Modern Fujian Region As the Center, Yuelu Publishing House. Central Archives, Fujian archives(1985): Collection of Revolutionary History Documents of Fujian (Documents of Each County Party Committee from
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